This invention relates a form for making an elastomeric glove and the glove produced by the form.
For many years gloves have been manufactured for medical and other applications by dipping a hand-shaped form into a tank of elastomeric liquid such as latex. The dipped form is then immersed in a water trough to remove water soluble impurities. Following this, the form is placed in an oven to dry and cure the glove. Once the glove is cured, it is removed from the form. This is typically a hand operation. This process of glove production is most often performed using a continuous or intermittent style conveyor for transporting the glove forms.
The process of transporting and dipping the forms at a rate suitable for production often leads to air entrapment at various places on the form, especially at the tips of the digits and at the crotch area between the digits. This trapped air can cause voids in the formed film that result in weak or thin areas on the finished glove. It has been found that the likelihood of air entrapment increases as the profile of the form leading edges become broad or blunt. It is important to design the form profile to minimize air entrapment. Most conventional porcelain forms have a broad leading edge. The nature of porcelain manufacturing can also create an irregular surface on the form, which may increase the potential for air entrapment.
In removing the glove from the form, the glove is typically grasped at the cuff end and pulled away from the form. This action causes the glove to reverse during removal. Since the elastomeric material tightens when it is cured, the glove tends to adhere to the form and to be difficult to remove. As a result, the finger tips of the glove may not be fully reversed, as shown in FIG. 4. While this does not create a problem with the use of the glove, it is undesirable from an aesthetic viewpoint.
Recently the use of gloves in the medical area has increased substantially because of the increased awareness of the spread of contagious diseases through contaminated body fluid. The market demand has increased faster than the capability of manufacturers to supply the products. It has become extremely important to maximize the production of all existing manufacturing facilities. The conventional glove forms are approximately the same size as the human hand that will wear the glove. If the thickness of the profile could be reduced, more forms could be used on existing conveyor systems. The capacity of existing facilities would be increased quickly and at a reasonable cost. Conventional porcelain forms have insulating properties that require high oven temperatures and longer dwell time to effect a proper cure. Thus a thinner profile would create new problems by significantly increasing the heating requirements in existing cure ovens.
The above problems are solved by the form and glove of the present invention.